1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a urological patient bed, of the type having a table top that is supported by a pedestal and that is comprised of a first plate section, made of X-ray-transparent material, and a second plate section.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Urological patient beds of the type above are known and serve for accepting a patient in order to examine him or her and if necessary to administer treatment. In the examination procedure, an X-ray image of the relevant body area of the patient is normally obtained, for which purpose this body area is arranged on the first plate section made of X-ray-transparent material. For example, the renal area is imaged in order to examine whether kidney stones are present. An X-ray device is appropriately positioned for that purpose. Subsequent to the pickup of the X-ray image and the corresponding evaluation, it may be necessary to move the patient to another bed for treatment with, for example, a lithotripsy device for the destruction of the kidney stones.
The arrangement of an urological patient bed in the examination room, in most cases, is such that the head end of the patient bed, namely the area in which the head of the patient lies, points toward the door. This arrangement is not always possible, however, due to spatial limitations imposed by the examination devices or treatment devices that are to be arranged at the side of the patient bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,028 discloses a patient bed having a pedestal with a guiding part at which a first plate section is arranged so as to be horizontally displaceable. Frame sections are provided at each of the left side and the right side of the first plate section. One frame section has a central frame part, at which another plate section is displaceably arranged. The other frame section is formed by two frame parts that are opposite to one another; a further plate section is also displaceably supported at these frame parts. Further, a head part is fastened at the frame sections.
German OS 39 15 381 discloses a bed for a lithotripter having a central segment that is rigidly fastened at the lithotripter; extending segments can be attached to this central segment on both sides and further segments can be attached to these extenders. A treatment window, which can be closed with an inset, is provided at the central segment; the therapeutic head of the lithotripter can be introduced into this treatment window.
German OS 31 01 373 describes an operating table having a table top with pivotable extension sections that can be attached to a central table section.